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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 10 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: "Superstar"
From: Steve Harvey
2. Re: "Superstar"
From: Richard Havers
3. Re: BoxTops at my local Tastefest?
From: Allan Rinde
4. Re: "Morning Girl"
From: Richard Gagnon
5. Re: "Superstar"
From: Rick H
6. Luther Vandross RIP
From: Richard Williams
7. help required
From: Roberto
8. John Kongos; "Susan" in full
From: Country Paul
9. Re: "Superstar"
From: Eddy
10. Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop update
From: Martin Roberts
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 3 Jul 2005 11:08:05 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: "Superstar"
I had a letter published in 1976 in Melody Maker suggesting the
Carpenters try some different material like American Spring and Tom
Waits (his more melodic stuff from the early days). When I met them
on their last tour Karen conferred they had seen my letter, but never
followed up. Shame considering I always thought they were worthy of
more than just their MOR status.
Steve Harvey
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 3 Jul 2005 17:59:14 +0100
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re: "Superstar"
Dave Heasman wrote:
> I'm sure you know ("Superstar") was originally sung by Bonnie
> Bramlett, and the lyrics were changed for Karen C from "sleep with
> you again" to "be with you again".
I didn't so thanks for that. Was it on a Bonnie B. solo album or
Delaney and Bonnie?
Richard
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 03 Jul 2005 18:26:41 -0000
From: Allan Rinde
Subject: Re: BoxTops at my local Tastefest?
Rob wrote:
> BoxTops at my local Tastefest?...on July 4th...so apparently
> they've re-formed and are touring...I'm wondering if I should get
> excited...any reviews of any recent shows?
Two years ago, Toni Wine and I had the pleasure of crusing with the
Box Tops, and at that time, they had all the original members and were
still great. You can learn more at http://boxtops.com , which is
maintained by original member Bill Cunningham.
FYI - Alex also tours as a solo act and with Big Star.
Allan
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 03 Jul 2005 18:11:22 -0400
From: Richard Gagnon
Subject: Re: "Morning Girl"
John Fox wrote:
> Has anyone ever heard the "long" version of Morning Girl by the Neon
> Philharmonic? I downloaded it from Napster a few years ago and just
> listened to it a few days ago (surprised by not knowing that there
> was more than the single version, which I always felt was too short
> a song--now I know why). The long version includes much more
> instrumental stuff plus an entire extra verse, bridge and verse,
> with even stranger (or should I say more creative?) lyrics than the
> first verses. Someone was probably right to cut it!
These "stranger" lyrics were a mystery to me for years. The first
version of "Morning Girl" I heard was Shaun Cassidy's splendid
version, but I couldn't figure out why, when I heard the Neon
Philharmonic's original, the lyrics had been almost entirely re-
written. The answer came when I got my hands on a copy of "The Moth
Confesses". The reason was that Cassidy didn't cover *Morning Girl",
he covered "Morning Girl, later", the sorta-reprise, or part 2 of the
song.
I thought that was pretty cool.
I don't think Shaun Cassidy's version is available on cd. Shall I
post it to Musica?
Richard
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 04 Jul 2005 01:52:26 -0000
From: Rick H
Subject: Re: "Superstar"
The pre-Carpenters history of "Superstar" aka "The Groupie Song":
1/70 "Superstar (Groupie)" / Delaney & Bonnie & Friends / Atco 45
9/70 "Superstar" / Rita Coolidge on "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" LP
10/70 "Superstar" / Cher / Atco 45 ("I knew my career had gone down
the toilet when Karen Carpenter had a hit with that song...")
The song was based on an idea by Rita Coolidge, is allegedly about
Eric Clapton and The Carpenters' version was inspired by Bette
Midler's about-to-be-released album rendition.
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Message: 6
Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2005 04:53:20 +0100
From: Richard Williams
Subject: Luther Vandross RIP
The first time Luther Vandross headlined in London -- at the Dominion
Theatre, I think, around 1983 -- he brought an A Team band including
Nat Adderley Jr on keys and Yogi Horton on drums. It was a wonderful
concert, including the arrangement of "A House is Not a Home" (from
Luther's first solo album) which I consider to be the most
imaginative non-Bacharach arrangement of a Bacharach/David song I've
ever heard. Yogi Horton was colossal: I don't think I've ever heard a
more powerful drummer in the R&B idiom.
Richard Williams
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Message: 7
Date: Mon, 04 Jul 2005 04:18:32 -0000
From: Roberto
Subject: help required
Hi, I'm new to Spectropop and I need somebody's help to identify 2
songs that I have. They are Italian covers of 2 American songs, and
I'd like to know who did the originals and if you know where I can
find a copy of the originals (also on re-issues). I only know that
one is a Van McCoy song, while the other was composed by a R.W.
Matthews. Since I don't seem able to upload the files to Musica, my
friend Phil Milstein kindly offered to host the 2 tracks on his
website: http://www.philxmilstein.com/probe/index.htm
Thanks in advance for your help
Roberto
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Message: 8
Date: Mon, 04 Jul 2005 00:20:15 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: John Kongos; "Susan" in full
Jack Russell re "Lavender Popcorn" and John Kongos:
> I had as big a shock as anyone when Sanctuary released the "Lavender
> Popcorn" compilation album by John Kongos in 2003. I co-wrote Linda
> Loves Linda with John Kongos and was a member of both Floribunda
> Rose and Scrugg.
Fascinating story, Jack; thank you for posting it. I have two Kongos
LPs, the one that came out in the US on Janus, and the one with
as-close-to-a-hit-as-he-had-here "He's Gonna Step On You Again,"
which led me and several of my friends to believe he would become
the "next Elton John." I had also underestimated the Janus album at
the time of its US release, as it was designed to cash in on "Step"'s
success, but being less richly produced it paled in comparison; it
sounds better to my ears now. Apparently, Kongos' mental state that
you cited could be a significant reason he never really broke
through - but what a talent. The good tracks are really outstanding,
and I appreciate your insight into your history with him.
S.J. Dibai:
> Is it true that WLS only played an edit of "Susan" that didn't have
> the weird musique concrete in the middle?
Gary Myers:
> I don't think I ever heard that section on *any* station at the time
> the record was hit.
It was indeed played intact on both Providence, RI AM top 40 stations
when new. (As I remember, I'd have to agree that the Columbia promo
edit without the "psychedelic" bridge was at best abrupt.)
Country Paul
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Message: 9
Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2005 07:32:51 +0200
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: "Superstar"
Richard Havers:
> Was it on a Bonnie B. solo album or Delaney and Bonnie?
It was the B-side to "Comin' home", still under its original title
of "Groupie" (Atco, 1969). I don't think there was an "original" LP
release as the first 12inch evidence I can find is on the Together
compilation.
Eddy
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 3 Jul 2005 23:03:35 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop update
Sorry to be late again, but it's worth the wait! The new
ROTW by Bruce Cloud, "A Little Spark Of Fire", on ERA,
is a real grower, (baby):
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/index.htm
I'm very proud to have Sylvie Simmons' apparently hitherto
unpublished interview, and now I have the photos to go with
it. Photographer Chris Walter has kindly supplied the shots
originally taken to accompany the piece:
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/magazines.htm
Make sure you visit Chris's own site for many more great
photos from Little Richard and Frankie Lymon at the dawn
of rock 'n' roll to the music 'gods' of today :-)
http://www.photofeatures.com/
On The Radio is updated with the latest KHJ jingle. This time
it's part one of the 'drum demos':
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/radio.htm
And the "Hearing Is Believing" reviews just keep on coming.
Check out the reviews from Rolling Stone, Rock & Rap and HARP:
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/AceCd_magreviews.htm
In Print - Q magazine has a Neil Young issue currently on sale.
This includes many mentions of Jack's work with the Canadian
including a featurette page of text and photo.
Martin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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